Incumbent Justice Allison Riggs (D) and Jefferson Griffin (R) are running in the partisan general election for a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court on November 5, 2024.

The Raleigh News & Observer’s Kyle Ingram wrote the race “lack[s] much of the public vitriol or big personalities present in races higher on the ballot — but the stakes are high.”

Heading into the 2020 election, Democrats held a 6-1 majority on the court. They lost 2 seats, reducing their majority on the court to 4-3. In 2022, Republicans won two seats, changing the balance of the court to a 5-2 Republican majority. In 2024, the court could remain a 5-2 Republican majority or turn into a 6-1 Republican majority. To read more about past court elections, click here.

Both parties see this race as crucial for control of the court. Riggs says, “The supreme court isn’t flipping control in this election. I am employing a plan, working with Justice Anita Earls and many others to help win back our courts in the 2028 election. Still, we’re going to have to defend my seat in 2024. Justice Earls’ seat in 2026 before we can do that.” North Carolina GOP Judicial Victory Fund Chair Susan Mills highlighted the importance of winning this seat, saying, “Having the majority this cycle doesn’t guarantee we will keep it in the future.” The Charlotte Observer’s Paige Masten wrote, “If Democrats lose in November, they technically still have a chance of flipping the court in 2028. But that will be significantly harder.”

Gov. Roy Cooper (D) appointed Riggs to replace Justice Michael R. Morgan (D). She says her “record demonstrates without question my commitment to our constitution and the protections it provides for the people of this state.” She says that she “value[s] reproductive freedoms. I value democracy and know that it doesn’t defend itself without people on the bench being willing to enforce the Constitution.” Riggs describes Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson‘s judicial method as an influence and says that she has “been intentional in applying this in my own judicial work. By focusing on process, rather than ‘brand,’ I believe I am best complying with my constitutional duty to rule without fear or favor.” Riggs is a former appellate justice and civil rights attorney.

Griffin is campaigning on his experience and says, “I’ve been able to show the people of North Carolina that I’m a constitutional conservative, that I believe in the rule of law.” Griffin says that he is “more of an originalist than anything…My interpretation of it is, I’m gonna look at this legal document…as of the time it was written.” He says that he admires “Clarence Thomas’s judicial philosophy. He’s always consistent.” Griffin believes that North Carolina voters “want judges who interpret the law and aren’t activists, who don’t go up there with any agenda…I’m there to do my job, I have no policy agenda — I’m there to interpret the law.” Griffin serves on the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

According to the most recent fundraising data, Riggs had raised $1.1 million and spent $456,619, and Griffin raised $1.2 million and spent $198,521. To read more about campaign finance data, click here

North Carolina is one of 33 states holding state supreme court elections in 2024 and one of seven holding partisan supreme court elections. To read more about which states are holding supreme court elections in 2024, click here.